


#21 "Born"

by theskywasblue



Series: 100 days, 100 prompts [12]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 11:09:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9653375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theskywasblue/pseuds/theskywasblue
Summary: "Holy shit, he's like the baby whisperer."





	

**Author's Note:**

> Part of 100 days, 100 prompts.
> 
> Basically written solely for Kansouame.

“Oh no.” Rabbit took a quick step back, painfully hip-checking the counter. If she could have, she would have taken Darby’s lead and crawled up under the ottoman. “I don’t do babies. This one does babies.”

She expected Galen to argue - after all, Valentine didn’t exactly exude paternal energy - but he was clearly desperate to stop the child’s inhuman screeching, and all but threw the baby into Valentine’s arms. Valentine accepted this outcome with remarkable grace, balancing the screaming creature on one arm like a man might a football.

“Hey kid, what’s the deal?” He demanded, typically gruff, juggling the child minutely with one arm, while patting its stomach with his other hand. “You got some complaint or what? This is some unnecessary shit. You’re making me deaf.”

The screaming bubbled off into something like whining, and then to blessed silence. The baby looked up at its new hero with luminous green eyes, burbled once, and stuffed a tiny fist into its face. It's cheeks had a faint, almost scaly sheen to them, in the glow of the overhead light; or maybe it was just a mix of tears and drool.

“Holy shit,” Galen said, shakily. “He’s like the baby whisperer.”

“I know, it’s fucking terrifying,” Rabbit agreed. 

Valentine scowled at them both. “Whatever.”

“Even Marco couldn’t…” Galen continued, still a little breathless. “And he’s like _all about the babies._ I like them better when they’re -” He mimed walking with his fingers. It was a sentiment Rabbit could get behind. “Wait - you’re not using some fucking Practitioner's trick on him, are you?”

Valentine made a choked-off noise of deep offence, and the baby looked at Galen upside-down, with deep displeasure etched on its dark, round face, as if Galen had insulted its ancestors. “I don’t use those on living things.”

“You used it on me, once,” Jericho reminded him, slinking over until he could stretch himself over Valentine’s arm and look down on the baby from above, without being too close.

“Because you were trying to _eat_ me.”

“Oh yeah, I guess so.” Jericho dared to slink in a bit closer, sniffing at the baby’s face. “Smells like campfire.”

Galen sighed, “Don’t eat the baby, fur-face.”

“I wouldn’t -” Jericho cut off with a yelp of pain as the baby grabbed a too-long strand of his blond hair and gave the sort of ruthless yank that only small creatures with no concept of their own strength are capable of. Valentine freed him after a momentary struggle, and he retreated behind Rabbit, rubbing his scalp, while the baby happily kicked its pudgy feet against Valentine’s ribcage.

“Well, you guys look like you’ve got everything under control,” Galen said, abruptly. This was the moment that Rabbit realized he had, likely for a number of minutes, been maneuvering himself towards the open portal, still swirling on the wall next to the recliner.

“Where are you going?” She demanded, a cold dread sinking into her gut.

“I just have something to take care of,” Galen said, in a desperately placating tone, sliding his way closer to the portal across the rug, little bits of static jumping up around his feet. “All you have to do is watch her for a bit, until I come back with her mother.”

“Not a fucking chance!” Valentine protested, advancing on him. “Does this look like a daycare to you?” Alarmed by his raised voice, the baby started to make half-choked off hiccuping noises, in preparation for another bout of screaming.

“You don’t even have to take her anywhere,” Galen insisted. “Just keep her here - and uh - if anyone comes to the door or - ya know - through the roof...don’t give her away.”

“Through the _roof_?” Rabbit yelped. It was a grave disappointment that no one seemed to share her growing sense of suffocating alarm.

“I promise I won’t be long!” was the last thing Galen said before he dove for the portal like a baseball player sliding for home plate. It closed behind him with a rush of cold air and a sharp pop, like a cork being yanked from a wine bottle.

“You’re fucking kidding me,” Valentine said, to no one in particular.

The baby cooed happily in response.


End file.
